BHP Billiton's Diamond Production -28%

RAPAPORT... BHP Billiton reported that its diamond production fell 28 percent year on year to 413,000 ‎carats in the fourth fiscal quarter that ended on June 30, 2012. Production for the fiscal ‎year declined 29 percent to 1.784 million carats.‎

The company explained that production at the Ekati mine in Canada, BHP Billiton’s only diamond asset, is expected to remain constrained for now as ‎operations extract lower grade material, consistent with the mine plan.‎

BHP Billiton stated that its review of the diamond business, announced in December ‎‎2011, is ongoing.‎